MEDIA RELEASE

TRANSIT NEW ZEALAND NATIONAL OFFICE

3 December 2007

People encouraged to submit survey on SH1 Paremata to Plimmerton Review

Transit New Zealand and Porirua City Council are encouraging people to submit responses to the survey on the SH1 Paremata to Plimmerton Review as soon as possible.

Transit Central Operations Manager Mark Owen says the independent survey, which will also consider the T2 lanes, is due to close today. However, due to interest in the review the deadline has been extended until 7 December.

“The team from Hyder Consulting and Boffa Miskell conducting the independent review understand the importance to the community and motorists of this process so they have extended the time period for responses to ensure everyone has an opportunity to have their say on the project,” Mr Owen says.

“This will not affect the timeline of the review, with results to be collated and analysed before Christmas.”

The survey aims to fully explore the views of residents, motorists and other interested parties about the SH1 Paremata to Plimmerton Upgrade project, which established the T2 lanes in 2005.

Porirua City Council Chief Executive Dr Roger Blakeley says the response to the survey has been good to date, with over 300 surveys returned and potentially 2000 more to come in from AA members.

“A letter drop to Mana Esplanade residents has also proved useful with over half completing the survey. This is what we want to see, people expressing their views and helping us to clarify what the key issues and concerns of motorists and the community are.”

The 14 week review, which is being independently conducted on behalf of Transit and Porirua City Council, covers the area from immediately south of Paremata roundabout to immediately north of Plimmerton roundabout, including SH58 modifications. As part of the review the survey asks a wide range of questions to get feedback that will allow Transit and Porirua City Council to make some high level decisions on the future operation of the T2 lanes. A public open day has already been held, at which members of the public came and discussed the review with the team directly.

The review team is conducting the $70,000 review on behalf of Transit and Porirua City Council who are equally sharing the costs. Once the review is completed broad recommendations will be presented to Transit and Porirua City Council to aid their decision making process on what changes, if any, are required within the project area.